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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · file · object · chip · mark · stand · row · bass

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. object — to protest
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. file — a line of people
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. sharp — clever
  11. object — a thing
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. file — a tool
  18. bass — low music
  19. object — an aim
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bass — the fish
  23. row — to paddle
  24. file — a document

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com